Control device for phonographs, electromagnetic reproducers, and the like apparatus



STAAR Aug 1955 M. J. H.

CONTROL DEVICE FOR PHONOGRAPHS, ELECTROMAGNETIC REPRODUCERS AND THE LIKE APPARATUS Flled April 27, 1.951

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 small-diameter long-playing records. t control'of the=movement of the centering'member of the WWW United States Patent O CONTROL DEVICE FOR PHONOGRAPHS, ELEC- TROMAGNETIC REPRODUCERS, AND THE LIKE APPARATUS Marcel Jules Helene Staar, Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, Belgium, .assignor to Usines Gustave Staar, Societe Anonyme,

Brussels, Belgium Application April 27, 1951; Serial No. 223,356 Claims priority, application Belgium April 28, 1950 *11 Claims. *(Cl; 274--9) The present invention has for its object a control device for phonographs, electromagnetic reproducers and the like wherein the positioning of the record to beplayed on the turn-table is provided through a horizontal shifting of said record while 'said record at the end of this shifting-engages a stop provided in proximity with the circular line registering with the periphery of the record during the actual reproduction.

The invention has for-its further object the execution of a device'of a particularly simple design that allows a mass=productionwhileits bulk is small so as to allow it to beused more particularly for the reproduction of To this end, the

recortL-of the raising and lowering of the tone arm and of the closing or opening of the circuit feeding the driving motor, is obtained through the agency of a lever or the-like member adapted to rock round a horizontal spindle, carried by apart secured to the lower surface .ofthe base plate of the apparatus.

In the practical embodiment of the invention and when the record to be'played is positioned, the release and the rocking of the control member are performed through a pivoting member rigid-with the stop on which the record to be introducedis adapted to act.

The control member is preferably constituted by a bent lever including two plate elements arranged with reference to each other generally along two perpendicular planes, one of said plate elements carrying a-lug adapted to act on the lower end of arod carrying a core or the like part adaptedto center therecord while the other plate carries alug adapted to act on a'vertical spindle rigid with the tone arm and controlling the rising and lowering movements of said tone arm. At the end ofthe-playing, the release and the return rocking of the control member are performed, at the moment at which theneedlehas engaged the terminal groove intherecord, through the agency of a spring blade lying edgewise andthat is rigid with the tone arm andbears against the'stop provided on the pivoting member in amanner such that iturges a catch carried by the control member-into the path of areleasing cam which latter acts-then on the catch so as to provide for the return rockingmovement of the control member.

border to provide for a readyunderstanding of the invention, I will now disclose a preferred embodiment thereof, reference being made to accompanying drawings,

wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the control device as a whole;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view-showing the position of the 'difierent elements when the device is at a standstill.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to-Fig. 2, but it is partly sectional and shows the device during operation.

.Fig. 4 shows the positions of the different parts of the devicewhen ready for release at the moment at which the needle engages the terminal groove of the record.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the device;

Figs. 6, 7 and -8 are detailed views relating to a particular arrangement adapted to provide a vertical downward movement of the arm onto the beginning of the record groove. Fig. 6 corresponds to a standstill of the arrangement, Fig. 7 to the position occupied during the raising of the tone arm at the end of the playing of a record, while Fig. 8 corresponds to the position occupied by the arrangement when the arm has been lowered onto the record and the playing of the record has justbegun.

In accompanying drawings, 1 designates the horizontal stationary plate and 2 the rotary record-carrying turntable which latter is controlled frictionally through the agency of a roller 3 that is driven in its turn by a roller 4 secured to the motor shaft.

The stationary plate 1 is rigid with a sleeve 5 projecting underneath its lower surface and wherein is revolubly carried a hollow vertical spindle 6 rigid with the turntable 2 and carrying a ring-shaped member 7 the lower edge of which assumes an outline 8 that allows said ring to act as a cam as disclosed hereinafter.

Inside the hollow shaft 6 may slide a rod 9 carrying a record-centering core 10, said core adapted to engage the-record that is to be played, moving inside a recess 11 of the turn-table 2.

The tone arm 12 adapted to collect the sounds is secured to a spindle 13 passing through the stationary plate 1 and adapted to receive also an upwardly and downwardly directed sliding motion.

To said spindle 13 is keyed a ring 14 the upperedge of which is provided with a projection 15 adapted to act in the manner of a cam as disclosed hereinafter inside the correspondingly shaped notch 16 provided in a stationary shaped member 17 rigid with the stationary plate 1.

The lower surface of the plate 1 carries a lug 18 that assumes a vertical position and is provided] with a flange 19 for securing it to the stationary plate 1 through the agency of the screws 20.

Said lug 18 forms a bearing for a spindle 21 carrying the control lever 22 that serves for the control of the movement of the tone arm 12, as well as of the centering means 10 used for the record that is being played and also of the closing and opening of the circuit feeding the motor M.

An important feature of the invention consists in that said control lever 22 is constituted by two metal plates 23 and 24 forming generally an angle of 90 with each other. The plate 23 the height of which decreases starting from the edge 32 along which it is connected with the associated plate 24, carries at its outer end a roller 25 cooperating with a spring blade 26 secured through a bent end 27 thereof with the stationary plate, said blade extending from said plate downwardly to form a vertical arm which is then folded twice'to form two bent ele ments, 23 and 29, defining with each other an angle the apex 30 of which is directed towards the lug 18.

Towards its outer end, the plate 23 also carries a transverse lug 31 that is substantially horizontal and is adapted to act on the lower free end of the centering rod 9.

The plate 24 the height of tween the vertical edge 32 at said outer end a projecting part 33 terminating with a lug 34 the shape of which may be rectangular for in stance and is adapted to act on the lower end of the spindle 13 carrying the tone arm.

To the plate 24 is secured furthermore a projection 35 directed upwardly i. e. towards the stationary plate which decreases also beand its outer end carries l an'd'on which bears an elastic blade37 carrying a con- 3 and 39 when they engage each other, close the circuit feeding the motor M.

The rocking of the plates 23 and 24 and of the parts carried thereby is controlled by the horizontal shifting of the record to be played over the upper surface of the rotary turn-table 2. To this end, there is provided near the outer periphery of said turntable, a stop 41 that is secured to a rod 42 passing through an elongated slot 43 provided in the stationary plate 1 and inside which said rod may move vertically as apparent from inspection of Fig. 3. The rod 42 is rigid with a plate 45 mounted on the spindle 21 and carrying a tenon 46 adapted to slide inside an elongated slot 47 formed in the plate 23.

To the plate 45 is secured the end of a steel wire 48 the other end of which is attached to a catch 49 adapted to rock round a spindle -8 carried by the plate The operation of the device is as follows:

When a record to be played is introduced into the apparatus, it is shifted horizontally over the turn-table 2 and engages through its peripheral edge the stop ll rigid with the pivoting member 42, 45. Said member produces in its turn a pivotal movement of the lever 23, 24 so as to bring it from the position illustrated in Fig. 2 to the position illustrated in Fig. 3. However, as the pivoting member 4-2, 45 is connected with the lever 23, 24 through the tenon 46 and the elongated slot 47, said member '42, 45 will begin executing a short idle movement before it causes the lever 23, 24 to rock and, during this idle stroke, it acts through the cable 4% on the catch 49 so as to hold the latter away from the releasing cam 7 8, at the moment of the starting of the device.

The rocking or" the lever sults:

(1) Through the agency of the lug 31, said lever produces an upward sliding movement of the rod 9 and thereby a rising movement of the centering disc or core 10 that enters the position illustrated in Fig. 3.

(2) It produces a downwardly sliding movement of the spindle 1.3 that drops under the action of gravity while the tone arm 12 is lowered onto the record.

(3) It acts on the switch 333-, 39 by allowing the elastic blade 37 to move away from the position illustrated at 37 in Fig. 2 into the position 37 illustrated in Pig. 3, which allows feeding the motor and driving the turntable 2. v r

This rocking of the lever 23, 24 has also for its result to bring the roller 25 into contact with the bent element 28 of the spring 26 near the apex 315 so that said spring acts on the lever 23, 24 and ends the movement started by the meeting between the record to be played and the pivoting member 42, 45.

When the record has been played, the following releasing movements are provided:

When the sound-collecting needle has engaged the terminal section of the record groove, a spring blade 51 carried by the tone arm 12 and arranged edgewise bears against the pivoting member through the stop 4-1 and consequently it shifts said pivoting member 42, which has for its first result to make the latter pivot so that the tenon 46 slides inside the elongated slot 47 and passes from the position illustrated in Fig. 3 to that illustrated in Fig. 4. The catch 49 is thus brought into the position illustrated in Fig. 4 for which it lies in the path of the releasing cam 7'. As at this moment the turn-table is still rotating, the cam 7, 8 is allowed to act on the catch49 and to make the lever 23, 24 rock in a direction opposed to that provided for engagement as described precedingly. This return rocking movement of the lever 23, 24 leads to the following results:

(i) it produces a rising movement of the blade 37 which urges the contact pieces 38-39 away from one another and switches off the current feeding the motor M;

(2) It allows the rod 9 to slide downwardly and thereby to release the centering core 10;

23, 24 has the following re- (3) It raises the sound arm 12 through the action of the lug 34 on the spindle 13.

When the spindle 13 rises starting from position illustrated in Fig. 4, the cam or tenon 15 slides over the stationary shaped member 17 in order to also return the tone arm 12 into its angular starting position.

The above described control device is advantageously associated with the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 which arrangement constrains the tone arm to sink along a vertical line to engage exactly the input section of the groove on the record. This arrangement includes a rod 53 secured to the stationary member 15 and extending downwardly so as to engage a notch 54 provided at the periphery of the cam 14 rigid with the tone arm.

On the other hand, the lower surface of the cam 14 carries at a single point an elastic blade 55. When the tone arm 12 rises, the relative position of the cam 14 and of the rod 53 are those illustrated in Fig. 7 and the lug V 34 acting on the spindle 13 causes the latter to rise together with the cam 14 and the blade 55; the latter bearing first against the end of rod 53 bends and then ceases contacting with said rod at the end of the rising movement of the tone arm, while at the same time the cam 14 occupies with reference to the stationary rod 53 the position illustrated in Fig. 6.

When the tone arm is again lowered, the spindle 13, the cam 14 and the spring 55 are also lowered and move from the position illustrated in Fig. 6 into the position illustrated in Fig. 8 and the comparison between said Figs. 6 and 8 shows that during this lowering movement, the spindle 13 and the cam 14 and also the tone arm 12 are guided by the vertical rod 53.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with phonographs, electromagnetic reproducers and the like record reading devices, the provision of a support, a turn-table thereon, adapted to carry a record, a stop located normally in the vicinity of the location of the periphery of the record during the playing thereof, and adapted to be urged sideways by the record when shifted transversely over the turn-table, a tone arm adapted to cooperate with the record, centering means adapted to be shifted vertically into register with the central opening of the record during the playing thereof, means associated with the tone arm to rise and sink therewith with reference to the record, a motor driving the turn-table, a circuit feeding same, a switch controlling said circuit, a control lever adapted to pivot round a horizontal axis with reference to the support, means actuatable by said control lever control in timed succession the movements of the centering member, the means associated with the tone arm and the switch in the circuit and means controlled by the stop, controlling said control lever for rocking the latter, a hollow spindle arranged axially of the turn-table and rigid therewith, a cam rigid with the lower end of said hollow spindle, a catch adapted to be engaged by said cam, a member carried by the tone arm so as to cooperate with the stop in such a manner that the stop returns to its position and the catch is urged into the path of the cam when the sound-collecting needle has engaged the terminal section of the record groove, said catch being adapted when engaged with the cam to return the control lever into its starting position.

2. In combination with phonographs, electromagnetic reproducers and the like record reading devices, the provision of a support, a turn-table thereon adapted to carry a record, a stop located normally in the vicinity of the location of the periphery of the record during the playing thereof, a tone arm adapted to cooperate with the record, centering means adapted to be shifted vertically into register with the central opening of the record during the playing thereof, means associated with the tone arm to rise and sink therewith with reference to the record, a motor driving the turn-table, a circuit feeding same, a

. switch controlling said circuit, a control lever adapted to pivot round a horizontal axis with reference to the of the centering member, the means associated with the 3" tone arm and the switch in the circuit, means adapted to urge the control lever back into its starting position at the end of the playing of a record and means carried by the pivoting member in a position to engage said last mentioned means whereby the idle movement of the pivoting member returns said last mentioned means out of their operative position.

3. In combination with phonographs, electromagnetic reproducers and the like record reading devices, the provision of a support, a turn-table thereon, adapted to carry :5;

a record, a stop located normally in the vicinity of the location of the periphery of the record during the playing thereof, and adapted to be urged sideways by the record when shifted transversely over the turn-table, a tone arm adapted to cooperate with the record, centering means adapted to be shifted vertically into register with the central opening of the record during the playing thereof, means associated with the tone arm to rise and sink therewith with reference to the record, a motor driving the turn-table, a circuit feeding same, a switch controlling said circuit, a control lever adapted to pivot round a horizontal axis with reference to the support, means actuatable by said control lever control in timed succession the movements of the centering member, the means associated with the tone arm and the switch in the circuit, means controlled by the stop and controlling said control lever for rocking the latter, a spring blade carried edgewise with reference to the turn-table and rigid with the tone arm and adapted to urge the stop back into its starting position at the end of the playing of a record and means connected to the stop and engaging the control lever whereby said return movement of the stop returns the control lever into its starting position.

4. In combination with phonographs, electromagnetic pivotally secured to the lever round '9 necting said catch with the stop whereby said catch lies out of the path of the cam when the stop is in its starting position corresponding to the playing of a record and in said path at the end of said playing.

5. In combination with phonographs, electromagnetic reproducers and the like record reading devices, the provision of a support, a turn-table thereon adapted to carry a record, a stop located normally in the vicinity of the location of the periphery of the record during the playing thereof and adapted to be urged sideways by the record when shifted transversely over the turntable, a tone arm adapted to cooperate with the record, a core adapted to engage the central opening in a record, a vertical rod controlling same and directed downwardly "E with reference to the turn-table, a vertical rod rigid with reproducers and the like record-reading devices, the provision of a support, a turn-table thereon adapted to carry a record, a stop located normally in the vicinity of the location of the periphery of the record during the playing thereof and adapted to be urged sideways by the record when shifted transversely over the turntable, a tone arm adapted to cooperate with the record, a core adapted to engage the central opening in a record, a vertical rod controlling same and directed downwardly with reference to the turn-table, a vertical rod rigid with the tone arm and adapted to rise and sink therewith with reference to the record, a hollow spindle rigid with the turntable and through which said vertical rod is adapted to slide, a cam carried by the lower end of said hollow spindle, a motor driving the turn-table, a circuit feeding same, a switch controlling said circuit, a control lever controlled by said stop and adapted to pivot round a horizontal axis with reference to the support, said control lever including two plates rigid with one another and lying at 90 with reference to one another, alug on one of said plates adapted, when the lever pivots in one directiou, to lift the core-controlling rod, a lug on the other plate adapted to raise the rod rigid with the tone arm when the lever pivots in the other direction, means extending from the lever whereby the lever opens the switch in the circuit when it has pivoted in said other direction, a catch pivotally secured to the lever and engageable by said cam to return the control lever into its starting position, means connected to the tone arm whereby the tone arm at the end of the playing of a record returns the stop into its starting position and means conthe tone arm and adapted to rise and sink therewith with reference to the record, a motor driving the turntable, a circuit feeding same, a switch controlling said circuit, a control lever adapted to pivot round a horizontal axis with reference to the support, said control lever including two plates rigid with one another and lying at 90 with reference to one another, a lug on one of said plates adapted when the lever pivots in one direction to lift the core-controlling rod, a lug on the other plate adapted to raise the tone arm when the lever pivots in the other direction, means extending from the lever whereby the lever opens the switch in the circuit, when it has pivoted in said other direction, a ring rigid with the vertical tone arm rod and including a camshaped projection, a stationary shaped member adapted to cooperate with the cam on the ring for urging the tone arm into its angular starting position when the arm has been raised by the lever and means operatively connecting the control lever with the stop.

6. In combination with phonographs, electromagnetic reproducers and the like record reading devices, the provision of a support, a turn-table thereon adapted to carry a record, a stop located normally in the vicinity of the location of the periphery of the record during the playing thereof and adapted to be urged sideways by the record when shifted transversely over the turn-table, a tone arm adapted to cooperate with the record, centering means adapted to be shifted vertically into register with the central opening of the record during the playing thereof, means associated with the tone arm to rise and sink therewith with reference to the record, a motor driving the turn-table, a circuit feeding same, a switch controlling said circuit, a control lever adapted to pivot round a horizontal axis with reference to the support under the action of the shifting of the stop, said control lever including two plates rigid with one another and lying at 90 with reference to one another, a lug on one of said plates adapted when the lever pivots in one direction to lift the centering means, a lug on the other plate adapted to raise the tone arm when the lever pivots in the other direction and means extending from the lever whereby the lever opens the switch in the circuit when it has pivoted in said other direction, a roller revolubly carried by one plate of the lever, a spring secured to the support and depending therefrom and assuming a bent shape at its lower end, said lower end being adapted to engage said roller and to hold the latter and therewith the control lever in its outer extreme position into which it is urged by the shifted stop.

7. In combination with phonographs, electromagnetic reproducers and the like record reading devices, the provision of a support, a turn-table thereon adapted to carry a record, a stop located normally in the vicinity of the location of the periphery of the record during the playing thereof and adapted to be urged sideways by the record when shifted transversely over the turntable, a tone arm adapted to cooperate with the record, a core adapted to engage the central opening in a record, a vertical rod controlling same and directed downwardly with reference to the turn-table, a vertical rod rigid with the tone arm and adapted to rise and sink therewith with reference to the record, a motor driving the turn-table, a circuit feeding same, a switch controlling said circuit, a control lever adapted to pivot under the action of the shifting of the stop round a horizontal axis with reference to the support, said control lever including two plates rigid with one another and lying at 90 with reference to one another, 2. lug on one of said plates adapted when the lever pivots in one direction to lift the core controlling rod, a lug on the other plate adapted to raise the tone arm when the lever pivots in the other direction, means extending from the lever whereby the lever opens the switch in the circuit, when it has pivoted in said other direction, a notched ring rigid with the vertical tone arm rod and including a cam-shaped projection, a stationary shaped member adapted to cooperate with the cam on the ring for urging the tone arm into its angular starting position when the arm has been raised by the lever and guiding means for the vertical movement of the tone arm carrier rod including a depending rod rigid with the stationary shaped member and adapted to engage the notch in the ring and an elastic blade secured to a point of the lower surface of the ring cam adapted to be shifted sideways by said depending rod upon lowering of the tone arm.

8. In combination with phonographs, electromagnetic reproducers and the like record-reading devices, the pro vision of a support, a turn-table thereon adapted to carry a record, a stop located normally in the vicinity of the location of the periphery of the record during the playing thereof, a tone arm adapted to cooperate with the record, centering means adapted to be shifted vertically into register with the central opening of the record during the playing thereof, means associated with the tone arm to rise and sink therewith with reference to the record, a motor driving the turn-table, a circuit feeding same, a switch controlling said circuit, a control lever adapted to pivot round a horizontal axis with reference to the support between two predetermined positions, said control lever including two plates rigid with each other and lying at 90 with reference to each other, a lug on one of said plates adapted, when the lever pivots in one direction, to lift the centering means, a lug on the other plate adapted to raise the tone arm when the lever pivots in the other direction, means extending from the lever whereby the lever opens the switch in the circuit when it has pivoted in said other direction, a member pivotally secured to the lever round the pivoting axis of the latter, carrying said stop and adapted to control the pivoting movement of the lever when the stop is urged sideways by a transverse shifting of the record over the turn-table and means connected to the tone arm for returning the control lever and pivoting member system into its starting position at the end of the playing of a record.

9. In combination with phonographs, electromagnetic reproducers and the like record-reading devices, the provision of a support, a turn-table thereon adapted to carry a record, a tone arm adapted to cooperate with the record, a core adapted to engage the central opening in a record, a vertical rod controlling same and directed downwardly with reference to the turn-table, a vertical rod rigid with the tone arm and adapted to rise and sink therewith with reference to the record, a hollow spindle rigid with the turn-table and through which said vertical rod is adapted to slide, a cam carried by the lower end of said hollow spindle, a motor driving the turn-table, a circuit feeding same, a switch controlling said circuit, a control lever adapted to pivot round a horizontal axis with reference to the support, said horizontal axis being carried by a lug fixed to the said support on the lower face of the latter and said control lever including two plates rigid with one another and lying at 90 with reference to one another, a stop located normally in the vicinity of the location of the periphery of the record during the playing thereof and adapted to be urged sideways by the record when shifted transversely over the turn-table and having an underwards projecting rod to pass through the support and connected to said lever so as to control the latter, means on one of said plates adapted, when the lever pivots in one direction, to lift the core-controlling rod, means on the other plate adapted to raise the rod rigid with the tone arm when the lever pivots in the other direction, means extending from the lever whereby the lever opens the switch in the circuit when it has pivoted in said other direction, catching means secured to the lever and engageable by said cam to return the control lever into its starting position, means connected to the tone arm whereby the tone arm at the end of the playing of a record returns the stop into its starting position and means connecting said catching means with the stop whereby the latter lies out of the path of the cam when the stop is in its starting position corresponding to the playing of a record and in said path at the end of said playing.

10. in combination with phonographs, electromagnetic reproducers and the like record reading devices, the provision of a support, a turn-table thereon adapted to carry a record, a stop located normally in the vicinity of the location of the periphery of the record during the playing thereof, a tone arm adapted to cooperate with the record, centering means adapted to be shifted vertically into register with the central opening of the record during the playing thereof, means associated with the tone arm to rise and sink therewith with reference to the record, a motor driving the turn-table, a circuit feeding same, a switch controlling said circuit, a control lever adapted to pivot round a horizontal axis with reference to the support, a member pivotally secured to the lever round the pivoting axis of the latter and carrying said stop, a tenon and slot connection between the lever and stopcarrying member to limit in either direction the relative pivoting movement of the control lever with reference to the stop-carrying member, said pivoting member being adapted to pivot first idly and then in unison with the lever when the stop is urged sideways by a transverse shifting of the record over the turn-table, means connected to the control lever whereby the said control lever, when pivoting, controls in timed succession the movement of the centering member, the means associated with the tone arm and the switch in the circuit, a cam revolving in unison with the turn-table, a catch adapted to assume a position wherein it is engageable thereby and pivotally carried by the control lever, means connected to the pivoting stop-carrying member for urging said catch out of its cam-engageable position when it has executed its idle pivoting movement with reference to the lever, means connected to the tone arm for returning the catch stop and the pivoting member carrying same into their starting positions at the end of the playing of a record and means connected to the cam for urging the catch and pivoting lever into starting position when the cam engages the catch.

ll. In combination with phonographs, electromagnetic reproducers and the like record-reading devices, the provision of a support, a turn-table thereon adapted to carry a record, a stop located normally in the vicinity of the location of the periphery of the record during the playing thereof and adapted to be urged sideways by the record when shifted transversely over the turn-table, a tone arm adapted to cooperate with the record, a core adapted to engage the central opening in a record, a vertical rod controlling same and directed downwardly with reference to the turn-table, a vertical rod rigid with the tone arm and adapted to rise and sink therewith with reference to the record, a hollow spindle rigid with the turn-table and through which said vertical rod is adapted to slide,ia cam carried by the lower end of said hollow spindle, a motor driving the turn-table, a circuit feeding same, a switch controlling said circuit, a control lever adapted to pivot round a horizontal axis with reference to the support, said control lever including two plates rigid with each other and lying at 90 with reference to each other, a lug on one of said plates adapted, when the lever pivots in one direction, to lift the core-controlling rod, a lug on the other plate adapted to raise the rod rigid with the tone arm when the lever pivots in the other direction, means connected to the lever for opening the switch in the circuit when it has pivoted in said other direction, a member pivotally secured to the lever round the pivoting axis of the latter and carrying said stop, means for limiting the relative pivoting movement of the control lever with reference to the stop-carrying member, said pivoting member being adapted to pivot first idly and then in unison with the lever when the stop is urged sideways by a transverse shifting of the record over the turn-table, means cooperating with the cam to urge the control lever back into its starting position at the end of the playing of a record and means cooperating with the pivoting member to return last mentioned means out of their operative position during the idle movement of the pivoting member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,100,686 Collaro et a1. Nov. 30, 1937 2,508,845 Thompson ..t May 23, 1950 

